Thuja plant named ‘SMTOBP’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Thuja  plant named ‘SMTOBP’, characterized by its upright plant habit; narrow columnar plant form; vigorous growth habit; dense and bushy form; bright green-colored developing leaves; bright green coloration maintained during the winter; and good winter hardiness and wind resistance.

Botanical designation: Thuja occidentalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘SMTOBP’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Thujaplant, botanically known as Thuja occidentalis, commonly known asAmerican Arborvitae and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘SMTOBP’.

The new Thuja plant is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Grand Haven, Mich. The objective of the breedingprogram was to develop new Thuja plants with a compact plant habit.

The new Thuja plant originated from an open-pollination during thespring of 2003 of the Thuja occidentalis ‘Brandon’, not patented, as thefemale, or seed parent and an unknown selection of Thuja occidentalis asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Thuja plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor during the spring of 2006 as a plant within theprogeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled outdoor nurseryenvironment in Grand Haven, Mich.

Asexual reproduction of the new Thuja plant by hardwood cuttings in acontrolled environment in Grand Haven, Mich. since November, 2007, hasshown that the unique features of this new Thuja plant are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Thuja have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘SMTOBP’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘SMTOBP’ as a new and distinct Thuja plant:

-   -   1. Upright plant habit; narrow columnar plant form.    -   2. Vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Dense and bushy form.    -   4. Bright green-colored developing leaves; bright green        coloration maintained during the winter.    -   5. Good winter hardiness and wind resistance.

Plants of the new Thuja can be compared to plants of the female parent,‘Brandon’. Plants of the new Thuja differ primarily from plants of‘Brandon’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thuja are narrower than plants of        ‘Brandon’.    -   2. Plants of the new Thuja grow faster than plants of ‘Brandon’.

Plants of the new Thuja can be compared to plants of Thuja occidentalis,‘DeGroot's Spire’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conductedin Grand Haven, Mich., plants of the new Thuja differed primarily fromplants of ‘DeGroot's Spire’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Thuja were narrower than plants of        ‘DeGroot's Spire’.    -   2. Plants of the new Thuja grew faster than plants of ‘DeGroot's        Spire’.    -   3. Plants of the new Thuja had brighter green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘DeGroot's Spire’.    -   4. Plants of the new Thuja were more winter hardy than plants of        ‘DeGroot's Spire’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Thuja plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Thuja plant.

The photograph comprises a side perspective view of a typical plant of‘SMTOBP’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and summer in groundbeds in an outdoor nursery in Grand Haven, Mich. and under culturalpractices typical of commercial Thuja plant production. The plant in thephotograph is seven years old and the plants used for the descriptionwere two years old. In the following detailed description, colorreferences are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart,2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionarysignificance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Thuja occidentalis ‘SMTOBP’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Thuja occidentalis ‘Brandon’, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown selection of Thuja            occidentalis, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By hardwood cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 45 days at            temperatures about 10° C. to 27° C.        -   Time to produce rooted young plants, summer.—About six            months at temperatures about 10° C. to 27° C.        -   Root description.—Thick to fine.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Perennial evergreen shrub; upright            plant habit and narrowly columnar plant form; vigorous            growth habit; moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height.—About 73 cm.        -   Plant diameter, base.—About 23 cm.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about seven            primary lateral branches developing per plant with numerous            secondary and tertiary branches; dense and bushy habit.        -   Lateral branch description.—Length: About 25 cm. Diameter:            About 4 mm. Internode length: About 3.5 cm. Aspect: Main            branch, upright; lateral branches about 20° to 40° from stem            axis. Strength: Strong. Texture, developing branches: Scaly;            glabrous. Texture, main trunk: Woody. Color, developing            branches: Close to 194A. Color, developed branches: Close to            165A.        -   Leaf description.—Appearance and arrangement: Flattened and            closely appressed, scale-like; opposite, simple; sessile.            Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:            Acute. Base: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Venation pattern:            Parallel. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Developing            leaves, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 144A; color is            maintained during the winter. Fully expanded leaves, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 137A; venation, close to 137A.-   Cone description: Cone development has not been observed on plants    of the new Thuja.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Thuja have been observed have    good garden performance, good winter hardiness, to be wind-tolerant    and to tolerate temperatures ranging from about −31° C. to about 38°    C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Thuja have been    observed to be resistant to root rot pathogens. Plants of the new    Thuja have not been observed to be resistant to pests and other    pathogens common to Thuja plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Thuja plant named ‘SMTOBP’ asillustrated and described.